The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) club has touched many lives at Hereford, and this year, with a drastic increase in membership, it has been able to reach so many more. Math teacher Bobby Aitken’s room went from having only a few students to maxing out the room’s capacity with about 50 students every Friday during the second half of enrichment.
FCA has talks about things that high schoolers can easily identify with: stress, anxiety, looking for signs from God, and feeling wanted are all discussed during enrichment. Typically, meetings are full of snacks and desserts. Games are played often to boost club bonding between members in the club.
The club unites student athletes and focuses on building strong relationships between other each and God. Many members are not the typical high school lacrosse or soccer athletes; there are students that dance, horseback ride, and do martial arts.
“I like coming to a fun environment where I feel welcomed. I like gathering with friends who I have a lot in common with and learn more about my faith,” Morgan Brown (’21) said.
President Emily Francis (’19), along with co leaders Connor Mann (’19), Joe Inglisa (’19) and Trina Gersiviallas (’19), are trying to organize a guest speaker to come talk to the group every quarter. Last year, a Cleveland Brown Football, player William Brown, came and spoke.
He spoke about “incorporating our faith into our daily lives and how it shapes us as athletes and young adults,” Francis said.
In the beginning of November, a US Lacrosse player Drew Wardlow came and spoke about the overly competitive side of athletes. He mentioned that athletes should focus on the abilities that God gave them.
Mark Causey (’22) liked Wardlow’s message and how it related to the athletes. He said, “it kind of inspired [him].” The FCA club is important to Causey. He likes “learning more about God, it helps [him] stay true to [God] and helps [him] make the right decisions in life.”
Being a part of this club allows students to have conversations that you normally wouldn’t have in the cafeteria.
It’s an open, positive environment that does not force anything upon members. Francis want people to know that the club is constantly open. “[Students] can come the last meeting as [their] first meeting and will still be consider a member of the club. It’s more to be there for you, not for you to feel forced to come,” said Francis.
FCA welcomes everyone that is interested in learning more about their faith in a comfortable environment.